Track-sanding device



F. A. DAY

TRACK SANDING DEVICE NOV- 11 9 Filed April 2,

1924 3 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 11 1924 F. A. DAY

TRACK SANDING DEVICE Filed April 2, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 v INVENTOR WITNESS:

ATTQRN EY Nov. 11 1924 1.515554 F. A. DAY

TRACK SANDING DEVICE Filed April 3, 1924 3 Sheet-Sheet 3 WITNESS:

Patented Nov. 11, 1924c mu i 915w un FIELDEN A. DAY, .013 ARJ'AY, KENTUCKY.

TRACK-SANDING DEVICE.

Application filed. April 2, 1924.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, F IELDEN A. DAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Arjay, in the county of Bell and State of Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in, Track-Sanding Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to track sanding devices and has for its object the provision of a novel apparatus for feeding wet sand onto a railroad or other track, the arrange ment being such as to positively prevent any clogging such as so frequently occurs with theordinary apparatus.

An important and'more specific object is the provision of a device of this character which is power driven and which embodies feeding means and a shaker mechanism both of which are simultaneously driven for insuring proper action.

An additional object is the provision of a device of this character which will be comparatively simple and inexpensive in manufacture, easy to install and control, positive in action, eiiicient and durable in service and a general improvement in the art.

WVith the above and otherobjects and advantages in view the invention consists in the details of construction to be hereinafter 130 more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the device,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section therethrough,

Figure 3 is an edge View,

Figure 4 is a horizontal section on the line 44 of Figure 2, showing a plan view of the feed chain mechanism,

Figure 5 is a view of the outlet spout with the cover plate thereof removed,

Figure 6 is a cross section on the line 66 of Figure 5, the view being taken along the shaft for operating the shaker,

Figure 7 is a cross section on theline 7-7 of Figure 5. i i p Referring more particularly to the drawings. I have shown the device as comprising a casing which includes a segmental shaped portion 10 and an elongated spout portion 11 communicating therewith. The end of the spout is open and its front or edge is provided with a removable cover plate 12 which will permit access to the interior if such is necessary for any reason, The cas- Serial No. 703,788.

ing section 10 constitutes the reservoir for the sand indicated at A and access is had through a removable cover section 13 which is taken off when it is necessary to replenish the sand supply.

lit the point of communication of the spout with the main casing member or seetion is a slidably mounted cut off gate 14. which is connected by a link 15 with an arm 16 on a rock shaft 17 which is journaled in a suitable bracket 18 mounted on the casing section 10. The rock shaft isequipped with a crank 19 to which is connected a control rod 20 which may lead to the. place where the operator is stationed, as for instance the cab of a locomotive. By manipulating the crank 19, it is obvious that the position of the gate 14: may be varied for controlling the discharge of sand from the reservoir into the spout.

The feed means includes a shaft 2lojournaled through the casing section 10 and carrying a sprocket 22 about which is trained a chain 23 which is in turn trained over a sprocket 24 journaled in the end of an elongated plate 25 which is pivoted upon the shaft 21. The chain 23 carries a plurality of blades or cleats 26. This entire feed chain device-lies upon the mass of sand within the reservoir so that when the chain is driven the various blades or cleats thereon will scrape the sand into the spout 11 the entire chain mechanism naturally swinging downwardly as the supply of sand is diminished, gravity alone being sufficient to accomplish this purpose. Carried by one end of the shaft 21 is a gear 27.

The exact manner of mounting the device upon a locomotive, car or the like is unimportant as it is easily possible to conceive of many types of brackets or other supports which will be adequate o for the purpose. Furthermore the drive may be effected in any one, ofvarious ways as for instance power may he applied to the gear 27 or to the shaft 21 directly, there being no restriction in this respect.

To avoid any possibility of clogging of the wet sand in the spout, I provide a shaker mechanism which includes a trough 28 located within the spout and carried by pivoted hangers 29. This trough is U-shape in cross section so as to conform to the shape of the spout and it is equipped with a screen 30. It might also be mentioned that there is a chute 31 which leads from the casing section 10 into the trough so as to avoid clogging of sand at the upper end of the trough.

This above described shaker is positively driven and to effect this I provide a shaft 22 which is journaled transversely of the spout and which carries a pinion meshing with the gear 27. On this shaft is an eccentric 3 f encircled by an eccentric strap 35 to which is connected rod 36 pivoted on a transverse element 37 in the trough.

In the operation, it will be apparent that when the casing section 10 is filled with sand and the feed chain device operated by driving the shaft 21 in any desired manner, the sand will be dragged out by the feed chain so as to pass through the chute 31 into the trough 28. The rotation of the shaft 21 isembedded to the shaft 32 and this in turn will operate to reciprocate the trough so that it will act as a shaker and positively discharge the sand from the spout onto the tracks to be sanded. The rate of feed is controlled by manipulating the gate.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will be apparent that I have thus provided a simply constructed, easily installed and highly efficient device for positively feeding sand while absolutely preventing any clogging so that certain action is insured.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention it is of course to be understood that I reserve the right to make such changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit ofthe invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

In a device of the character described, a casing constituting a sand reservoir, an outletspout leading from one corner of the casing, means for controlling passage of sand to the spout, and feed means comprising a shaft ournaled through said corner of the casing and carrying a sprocket, an arm carried by said shaft and pivoted thereon, a shaft carried by said arm and carrying a sprocket, a chain trained about both sprockets and carrying scraper elements, saidchain and arm being adapted to lie upon the surfacelof the sand within the casing "and to swing gravitationally downwardly the levelofthe sand lowers,

2. In a device ofthe character described, a casing constituting a sand reservoir, an outlet spout leading from one corner of the casing, means for controlling passage of sand to the spout, and feed means comprising a shaft journaled through said corner of the casing and carrying a sprocket, an arm carried by said shaft and pivoted thereon,-a shaft carried by said arm and carrying a sprocket, a chain trained about both sprockets and carrying scraper elements. said chain and arm being adapted to lie upon the surface of the sand within the casing and to swing gravitationally downwardly as the level of the sand lowers, said arm being formed in section, and an expansion spring between the sections for holding the chaintaut.

3. In a device of the character described, a casing for containing sand, a discharge spout at one lower corner of the casing, feed means within the casing for dragging the sand into the spout, guides at the juncture of the casing with the spout, a plate slidable along said guides for controlling passageof and to the spout, and a lever mechanism connected with the plate and operable from a remote point for effecting control.

4t. In a device of the character described,

a casing having a discharge spout at its bottom, means within the casing for dragging sand therein into the spout, means for controlling communication between the casing and spout, a shaker of trough-like formation pivotally mounted within the spout and carrying a screen therein, a shaft journaled through the spout and having an eccentric and pitman connection with the shaker, and means for sin'iultaneously driving the feed means and said shaft.

5. In a device of the character described, casing constituting a sand reservoir, an outlet spout connected and communicating with the casin and means for positively feeding sand from the casing into the spout, a transverse shaft journaled through the casing for driving the feeding means, a trough mounted for swinging movement within the spout, a shaft journaled through the spout and having a connection with said trough for reciprocating the same, and a drive connection between said shafts.

6. In a device of the character described, a casing constituting a sand reservoir, an outlet spout connected and communicating with the casing, means for positively feed ing sand from the casing into the spout, a transverse shaft journaled through the casing for driving the feeding means, a trough mounted. for swinging movement within the spout, a shaft iournaled through the spout and having a connection with said trough for reciprocating the same, a drive connection between said shafts. and a control gate located at the juncture of the casing with the spout for regulating the flow of sand.

7. In a device of the character described, a casing constituting a sand reservoir, an outlet spout leading therefrom, means for controlling passage of sand to the spout, a gravity moved, power driven feed device within the casing for dragging the sand to the spout, and a power driven agitator within the spout.

8. In adevice of the character described,

a casing constituting a sand reservoir, an outlet spout leading therefrom, means for controlling passage of sand to the spout, a gravity moved, power driven feed device within the casing for dragging the sand to the spout, and a power driven agitator within the spout, and means simultaneously driving the feed device and the agitator.

9. Ina device of the character described,

a casing serving as a sand reservoir, a spout leading from the casing, power driven feed means resting upon the surface of the sand for dragging the sand to the spout, said feed means moving gravitationally as the sand supply is depleted.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

FIELDEN A. DAY. 

